Eventually, you would find it. It might have been too early for ice cream at Lappert’s, or too busy at the Pioneer Inn, or too soon to board your whale-watching cruise from Lahaina Harbor. You would have started strolling and suddenly noticed a tiny out-of-the way but not far off-the-beaten-track place with an inviting look about it. A few locals might be talking story on the front patio, a honeymoon couple dodging the sun on the side lanai. Inside, where there is no seating at all, a smiling man with a distinctly Portuguese accent would be standing behind the glass window of the pocket kitchen and nod toward you. Minutes later, wiping his hands on his apron, he’d cheerfully recite your order back to you with a charming precision and invite you sit, sit, anywhere! You would take a place in the open air and listen as waves lapped the shore mere steps from your table. Trade winds would blow through the coconut trees shading the adjacent park. The Carthaginian would idly bob in the harbor tempting you to sit here all day, lulled into the rhythms of the island.
Maui time is fine, as long as you aren’t hungry. Then, it would be advantageous to find your meal delivered sooner than expected for made-to-order fare. When your order arrives artfully decorated with freshly sliced fruit garnishes and toppings, you might check the menu prices again. A mistake?
No mistake; it was simply good fortune that fate brought you to the best breakfast bargain in Lahaina. Start off with an authentic Kona coffee creation and move on to one of the five daily specials, from Breakfast Burrito to Salmon Benedict. Or try one of the standard menu items; perhaps the pineapple boat laden with fresh island fruit. Yogurt/granola/fruit mix is another favored early morning choice as is the hearty Portuguese breakfast with eggs, potatoes and sausage. Naturally, there is also an assortment of tropical fruit-topped pancakes and croissant breakfast sandwiches on the menu.
What impressed me during a recent visit was the lox and bagel plate. Bedecked as impressive as room service at the Four Seasons, it was half the price, and included a green salad mixture, Kula tomatoes, Maui onions and ample salty capers. For lunch, choices range from classic tuna or Rueben sandwiches to roast chicken or kalua pig platters. There are tempting selections such as the unusual "Hawaiian Salad" which includes the kalua (roast) pork, cabbage and island vegetables and the unique Mango Barbeque Beef. Vegetairans aren't overlooked at this surfer-favored spot, either, and are treated to cleverly prepared tofu dishes and vegetarian burritos.
Even should you want only a nibble of one of the handsome bakery items (also available to go), or a simple cup of coffee, the Sunrise Café allows you to slip in inconspicuously and become as comfortable as the locals. Or take the keikis and relax; there’s Aloha for everyone here.